Electrical connection



Feb. 25, 59%. A. E. PAFP ETAL 2,232,962

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION original Filed Aug. 1.7, 1956 Patented Feb. 25,l1941 UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION corporation ofIllinois Original application August 17, 1936, Serial No. 96,382.Divided and this application January 3, 1939, Serial No. 249,136

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to electrical devices, and more inparticular to novel means for effecting a connection between cables inan underground system of electrical distribution, the same being adivision of a copending application Serial No. 96,382, iled August 17,1936, issued as Patent No. 2,195,630 on April 2, 1940.

I-leretofore cables have been connected together or spliced by handtaping in the field. Such a joint is unsatisfactory from manystandpoints, the principal objection being that the cables are noteffectively connected together, the connections are not entirelymoisture-proof and are rather cumbersome and difficult to effect in theiield.

The present invention therefore has as an object the idea of providingsimple and compact means for easily and readily connecting cablestogether, the same being waterproof throughout, and being readilyaccomplished in the eld.

The present invention comprehends the idea of providing novel means ofsimple construction for effecting a connection between a plurality ofcables in an underground system of distribution, such means being soconstructed and arranged that the cables may be easily and readilyconnected or disconnected.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel means forconnecting a plurality of cables together in an underground system ofdistribution wherein the connection between the cables is compact andcompletely enclosed to provide a wateretight joint between such cables.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a novelconnection between a plurality of cables, such connection including asan element a bus bar or connecting member enclosed by a covering ofresilient or compressible insulating material. More specifically, thebus bar or connecting member is provided with a covering of rubbermolded in situ over said bus bar or connecting member.

Another object within the purview of the present invention is to providea novel connection between a plurality of cables and a bus bar wherein ahousing in the form of a box is provided as a unitary structure toenclose the bus bar, the plurality of terminal ends of the cables andthe connecting means between the same and the bus bar.

The present invention further comprehends the idea of providing a novelconstruction for effecting a connection between a plurality of cables inan underground system of distribution wherein the connection is providedwithin a housing and is formed in part by a bus bar or connecting memberresiliently mounted in said housing whereby connections can be made toone or more cables without exact alignment of the various elements ofthe device.

Still another object is to provide a device as herein immediately abovedescribed, wherein the bus bar or connecting member is mounted uponinsulating means to completely insulate the terminal connections of thecables from the housing.

More particularly, the present invention contemplates the idea ofproviding the immediately above described constructions wherein the busbar or connecting member is provided with a covering of resilient o-rflexible insulating material which serves in part to provide a flexibleand insulated mounting for the bus bar in the housing, and in part tocompletely insulate and cover the bus bar to facilitate handlingand providing the connections to one or more cables.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantages are comprehended bythe invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessedthereby.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a device for connecting aconnection between a plurality of cables in an underground system ofdistribution; and

Figure 2 is a View in cross-section taken in the plane represented byline 2 2 o-f Figure 1 of the drawing and disclosing the completedhousing structure ofthe device.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, an embodiment selected toillustrate the present invention is disclosed as comprising a devicegenerally referred to as 2 which serves to connect together a pluralityof cables, such as 4, in an underground system of distribution. The

device 2 includes a housing formed in part by a box-like structurehaving a bottom wall B and a side wall 8, the box-like structure beingclosed by closure member I0 which is removably secured to the box-likestructure as by means of a plurality of bolts I2, the gasket I4 beingprovided to insure a. water-tight construction. This closure member l0is readily removable whereby a connection between the cables 4 can beeffected.

'I'he connection between the cables 4 is ac-v complished by means of aconnecting member or bus bar I6 disposed within the housing, said busbar being preferably formed with a covering I8 of resilient insulatingmaterial. The bus bar i6 is mounted upon the lower wall 6 of the housingand may be held in place by means of the clip members at each endthereof, which clip members in turn are disposed in the recesses 22 ofthe housing having the webs 24 and 26 preventing displacement of theclips.

As shown in the drawing, the bus bar IS is provided with a plurality ofcable attaching means 28 specically shown as' threaded openings whichare adapted to threadedly engage with connector means disposed betweenthe bus bar and the terminal end 30 of the cables. Inasmuch as all ofthe `connections between the cables 4 and the bus bar are similarly madeand the constructions involved are the same, reference will be made tothe arrangement as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing as illustrating thesame. Each of the cables 4 extends through an opening 32 provided in theside wall B of the housing, the cable being laid bare as at the terminalend 30 for reception by a connector means generally referred to as 34,and which may take the form of similar connector means shown in theparent application of which this is a division. This connector meansgrips the terminal end 30 of the cable, and in turn threadedly engagesthe attaching means 28 of the bus. bar I5. In effecting this connection,a cable is directed through an opening 32 and into a position to beconnected to the bus bar. The connector means 34 is then threaded to thebus bar I6 and manipulated to grip the terminal end of the cable.

In order to provide a water-tight construction, a gland assembly 36 isprovided between the cable and the housing at the opening 32. This glandassembly comprises a bushing 38 embracing the cable 4 and being providedwith the oppositely inclined surfaces 40 and 42, the surface 4Dcooperating with a corresponding inclined surface 44 dening the opening32 in the side wall, and the inclined surface 42 cooperating with acorresponding inclined surface 45 at the end of a gland nut 4B whichalso embraces the cable and threadedly engages the annular ange of thehousing as at 52 whereby the bushing 38 may be forced or wedged intointimate contact with the opening 32 to provide a water-tight joint, itbeing understood that this bushing s of some suitable resilientmaterial, such as oil-resistant rubber or the like.

As clearly shown in the drawing, a connection has been made as by meansof the bus bar between a plurality of cables extending into the housingfrom. opposite sides. Such connections are alternately disposed withrespect to one another in the device, and in such cases a plurality ofseparable closure members, such as 54, are provided to make the housingcompletely water-tight, said closure means being threaded into theprojecting flanges 50 at those openings through which no cable extends.If it is desired, however, to effect a connection to the bus bar at anyof these points, one or more of these removable closure members can bereadily removed, a cable inserted through the opening, and a connectionmade to the bus bar through a connector means 34.

By providing a connection as disclosed in the drawing, certain verydefinite results are accomplished, namely, an efficient water-tightjoint is provided at the connection for a plurality of cables in anunderground system of distribution.

The covering I8 of resilient insulating material for the bus barprovides a flexible and resilient support for the bus bar on the bottomwall 5 whereby connections can be made to cable terminal ends withfacility, it being understood that this exible connection permits suchconnec` tions even though various elements of the device are not inabsolute alignment. This type of construction has a distinct advantageover the old porcelain type of connection wherein it was necessary tohave absolute alignment to effect a conneetion for the terminal ends ofthe cables. This serious objection has been overcome because of theflexible or resilient mounting for the bus bar.

As a still further advantage of this arrangement, it should be notedthat the covering IB is of insulating material which completelyinsulates the bus bar from the housing. In other words, such a coveringserves in part to provide an insulated mounting for the bus bar. As astill further advantage, the insulating covering I8 coni-.pletelyencloses the bus bar and facilitates positioning of the same as by meansof the spring clips 2U.

While we have herein described and upon the drawing shown anillustrative embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood thatthe invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend otherconstructions, arrangements of parts, details and features withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

claim:

l. In an electrical device, the combination of a housing havingopenings, one or more cables extending through said openings into saidhousing, a bus bar disposed in said housing and supported by the same,said bus bar having a resilient insulating covering to insulate said barfrom said housing and to provide iiexibility in the mounting of said barwithin said, housing, said bus bar having a plurality of cable attachingmeans substantially opposed to said openings, connector means removablyconnected to said attaching means and said one or more cables, and meanscompris ing spring clips positioned by said housing and engaging theresilient covering at the ends of said bar for holding said bar in placewithin said housing and permitting adjustment of said bar with respectto said cables.

2. In an electrical device, the combination of a housing havingopenings, one or more cables extending through said openings into saidhousing, a bus bar disposed in said housing and supported by the same,said bus bar having a resilient insulating covering to insulate said barfrom said housing and to provide flexibility in the mounting of said barwithin said housing, said bus bar having a plurality of cable attachingmeans substantially opposed to said openings, connector means removablyconnected to said attaching means and said one or more cables, saidhousing having recesses oppositely disposed with respect to the ends ofsaid bus bar, and means comprising spring clips engaging the resilientcovering at the ends of said bar and having offsets received in saidrecesses for holding said bar in place within said housing andpermitting adjust ment of said bar with respect to said cables.

ANDREW E. PAPP. EMILY N. WINKS,

Administratrice of the Estate of .703m L. Winks,

Deceased.

